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Steve Clarke insists he will not rush Leigh Griffiths return

The Celtic striker missed a big part of last season to deal with mental health problems.

Scotland manager Steve Clarke felt it was too early for Leigh Griffiths to return to the international fold.

The Celtic striker has been left out of the squad to take on Russia and Belgium in European Championship qualifiers next month.

The 29-year-old has netted three goals this season after missing the last six months of the 2018/19 campaign to deal with mental health problems.

Griffiths had declared himself willing and able to revive his Scotland career but Clarke decided to give him more time to bed back into club football.

"He was close," Clarke said. "Listen, Leigh has got some fantastic attributes. I just look at him just now and he's come a long way in a short space of time after a very difficult spell in his life.

"And I feel we should just give him a little more time to settle into the role again at Celtic and get himself fully fit and firing. And a fully fit and firing, sharp Leigh Griffiths will always be good for us.

"But at the moment I just feel it's a little bit too early to push him."

When asked if he had consulted Celtic on the decision, Clarke said: "You speak to people about certain individual players to get a little bit of background but the decision is my decision. That's what I am paid for."

Steven Naismith is in despite missing the last two Hearts games with a hamstring problem while Oli McBurnie, Johnny Russell and Matt Phillips are other attacking options.

Clarke has named Grant Hanley, Liam Cooper and Charlie Mulgrew as his centre-back options with Scott McKenna, John Souttar and Stuart Findlay all dropping out injured since his first two games in charge in June.

West Ham winger Robert Snodgrass is back in the fold while Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack has earned a recall.

On Snodgrass, Clarke said: "He has good experience, Robert. When I spoke to him over the summer he was very keen to come back on board.

"He picked up a little injury last week but he let us know he was fine."

Portsmouth goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray wins his first call-up as back-up to David Marshall and Jon McLaughlin.

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Rangers' Ryan Jack pictured in December 2018
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Euro 2024 fixtures header
Tuesday, July 2
 
8pm
Friday, July 5
 
5pm
Quarter-Finals
Spain
vs.
Germany
 
8pm
Quarter-Finals
Portugal
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Saturday, July 6
 
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Tuesday, July 9
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Sunday, July 14
Tables header RHS

Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Germany Germany32107
Q Switzerland Switzerland31205
3 Hungary Hungary31023
4 Scotland flag Scotland30121

Group B

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Q Spain Spain33009
Q Italy Italy31114
3 Croatia Croatia30212
4 Albania national flag Albania30121

Group C

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Q England flag England31205
Q Denmark Denmark30303
Q Slovenia Slovenia30303
4 Serbia Serbia30212

Group D

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Q Austria Austria32016
Q France France31205
Q Netherlands Netherlands31114
4 Poland Poland30121

Group E

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Q Romania Romania31114
Q Belgium Belgium31114
Q Slovakia Slovakia31114
4 Ukraine Ukraine31114

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal32016
Q Turkey Turkey32016
Q Georgia Georgia31114
4 Czech Republic Czech Republic30121


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